Guiao ecstatic on favorable SC ruling on PAGCOR, PCSO funding

Rain or Shine head coach Joseller “Yeng” Guiao is elated after the Philippine Supreme Court approved his petition for mandamus calling on the country’s gambling regulators to distribute funds to the country’s sports commission.

At the heels of the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association or PSA Forum in Manila, the former Pampanga solon, who is once again leading tactics for the Elasto Painters in the PBA, says he is expecting that the move will generate much-needed funding for the country’s sports programs.

Guiao made the comment after the High Court announced that the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation or PAGCOR and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office or PCSO should contribute their fair share to the development of the country’s sports programs.

Based on the order, PAGCOR is asked to remit five percent of its gross income to the PSC from 1993 to the present, and the 30 percent of the charity fund of sweepstakes and lottery draw of the PCSO from 2006 to the present to the same sports funding agency of the government.

However, Guiao notes that only 2.1% of the 5% was remitted by PAGCOR to the PSC, citing a 1993 executive order penned by then-President Fidel V. Ramos.

"Ang kuwenta ko, tingin ko nasa P25 billion siya," says Guiao.

He adds, this move will help in ensuring that the next generations of athletes would have a better-funded national sporting program.

“Makalimutan na kami, ok lang yun. Pero at least sa next generations of athletes, may na-contribute kami," said Guiao. "Ang dapat lang makinabang diyan yung bayan, yung athletes, at yung sports program sa grassroots level.”

The Supreme Court says that the decision is no longer up for appeal, but both PAGCOR and PCSO are given 15 days to file a motion for reconsideration.

The SC’s move is the conclusion of an eight-year-old legal battle first filed during Guiao’s first and only term as Pampanga 1st District representative in 2016.